Re: What Beer Are You Drinking? Summer '13

Ran my usual gamut of awesome pale ales last night: Ballast Point Sculpin, Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA and FFF Zombie Dust. Plus a New Glarus Moon Man, which just isn't quite in their league. Gonna have to head over to Munster to refill on the ZD soon....

Question: do any of you know of any beers brewed with Rainier Cherries?

Re: What Beer Are You Drinking? Summer '13

Going through a few beers that the wife and I cellared a time long, long ago, before I had experienced bourbon or scotch.

Last week it was a Dogfish Head Immort Ale from 2009. I've loved this label for over 10 years; it's truly an oddball, introduced well before breweries released their crazier ideas (at least outside of their on-site brewpubs). This one has peat-dried malt in the recipe, lending a distinct smokiness, which doesn't dominate because the profile also includes some woodiness, dark berries and bourbon barrel notes, all strong in their own right. The beer typically isn't very good when it's fresh - it's a bit astringent and the flavors don't blend too well - so I just let them sit for a while. I think this one sat for too long. The peat was muted, the malty berry notes were a bit flat, and some of the more subtle flavors that I remember, like orange bitters, were gone.

Last night it was Weyerbacher XIII from 2008. This one is an old ale, or a Belgian dark ale, or something like that. It was nearly 14% ABV and very malty, so you get the picture. I got a lot of raisins and berries along with the sweet dark malt. This one was no standout, I'm afraid, partly due to its sort of generic flavor profile, and also perhaps a bit of a stale cardboard note. Basically, your dark, thick malt monster. I think that it had more of a tripel note (indicating the use of candy sugar) when fresh.

Despite what Mrs. bad_scientist might say to make me feel better, not everything is better with age!

Re: What Beer Are You Drinking? Summer '13

Originally Posted by bad_scientist

Going through a few beers that the wife and I cellared a time long, long ago, before I had experienced bourbon or scotch.

Last week it was a Dogfish Head Immort Ale from 2009. I've loved this label for over 10 years; it's truly an oddball, introduced well before breweries released their crazier ideas (at least outside of their on-site brewpubs). This one has peat-dried malt in the recipe, lending a distinct smokiness, which doesn't dominate because the profile also includes some woodiness, dark berries and bourbon barrel notes, all strong in their own right. The beer typically isn't very good when it's fresh - it's a bit astringent and the flavors don't blend too well - so I just let them sit for a while. I think this one sat for too long. The peat was muted, the malty berry notes were a bit flat, and some of the more subtle flavors that I remember, like orange bitters, were gone.

Now you tell me! Just had a "fresh" Dogfish Head Immort Ale (At least I presume it is fresh, just bought it but no idea how long it has been on the shelf). I didn't think it was bad but I could see where it might balance out a bit with time. In fact I put a splash of old Chambord that had oxidized into an interesting chocolatey flavor with just a hint of raspberry in the last third of it and thought that improved the beer a bit.

I will sit on the rest of what I have for awhile and see how it does!

That yella whiskey runnin' down my throat like honey dew vine water and I took another slash…

Re: What Beer Are You Drinking? Summer '13

Re: What Beer Are You Drinking? Summer '13

Lagunita's Censored,this really doesn't have anything that really stands out and smacks you in the face,just well balanced!I,just Oh so love it for some reason anyway not to heavy and not to light,just really fits the bill in this warmer summer season.

"To deny our own impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us human."
Larry Wachowski​